Contents

Biography

Early life

Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank was born in or before 1930. She presumably sat for O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s in her youth, in order to have her current job, and likely achieved a high grade in Care of Magical Creatures.

Hogwarts substitute teacher

Professor Grubbly-Plank took over Rubeus Hagrid's lessons during January 1995, because Hagrid was indisposed after the defamatory article about him written by Rita Skeeter. She taught the students about Unicorns. When Hagrid resumed teaching in early February, Grubbly-Plank was no longer required and she left.

As Hagrid was absent in the beginning of the next school year, Grubbly-Plank was temporarily put in charge of Care of Magical Creatures again. She led the first years across the Lake on the enchanted boats, which was usually Hagrid's responsibility.

After Hagrid's return on 7 November, Grubbly-Plank was relieved of her duties again. When Hagrid planned to leave Hogwarts at the end of this school year, he implied that Grubbly-Plank would take on the class full-time. When he ran away from Umbridge and the Aurors, it is unknown whether she returned to teach Care of Magical Creatures for the remainder of that school year, though following the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Dumbledore did order Cornelius Fudge to have his Aurors call off the search for Hagrid so that he could return to work, indicating that he resumed the position following that event.[1]

Personality and traits

Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank is a very competent teacher, passing even Dolores Umbridge's inspection without incident (though Umbridge was disappointed by her expressing approval of Dumbledore). She seems always level-headed, cheerful and efficient, and claims to be very happy with the way Dumbledore runs the school.

Many of the students (Gryffindors included) feel Professor Grubbly-Plank is a somewhat better teacher than Hagrid. Harry, Ron, and Hermione do not admit this, however, simply because of their close friendship with Hagrid. In 1996, when Hagrid states that he wondered whether they would have continued with Care of Magical Creatures had she still been teaching, the three of them convincingly lie that she was a dreadful teacher.[2] Professor Grubbly-Plank also seems to have a bit of respect for Hagrid as she is never seen criticising his teaching skills and complimented his training of the school Thestrals. She is also known to smoke a pipe.